Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:
Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.
For more information about the legislative process, see here.
| Date | State | Bill No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 7, 2010 | NY | S 8089 | Emergency Appropriation Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| June 4, 2010 | TN | HJR 1253 | Resolution Recognizing Arizona Statehood and New Immigration Policy | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | SB 1163 | Denials of Health Care Coverage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| June 3, 2010 | CA | AB 2047 | Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | SB 1088 | Young Adults Health insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| June 2, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| June 2, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | SB 399 | Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | AB 2470 | Individual Health Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | SB 1399 | Expanding Medical Parole Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| June 2, 2010 | CA | SB 1399 | Expanding Medical Parole Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | SB 1168 | Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 1602 | Health Care Coverage Amendments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | AB 1600 | Requiring Insurers to Cover Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| June 1, 2010 | CA | SB 900 | Health Benefits Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| May 28, 2010 | NY | A 11310 | Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 14) |
| May 28, 2010 | NY | A 11310 | Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (93 - 42) |
| May 27, 2010 | National | S Amdt 4214 | National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46) |
| May 27, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| May 27, 2010 | NC | SB 704 | School Change Models | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| May 27, 2010 | CA | SB 1255 | Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 27, 2010 | CA | SB 1255 | Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| May 26, 2010 | NC | SB 704 | School Change Models | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| May 26, 2010 | LA | Amdt 4002 | Requires Department of Education Employees Evaluation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19) |
| May 26, 2010 | MA | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| May 26, 2010 | OH | HB 473 | Prohibits Inappropriate Pictures of Minors | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| May 24, 2010 | TN | HJR 1253 | Resolution Recognizing Arizona Statehood and New Immigration Policy | Joint Resolution Passed - House (67 - 27) |
| May 21, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
| May 20, 2010 | LA | HB 1443 | Establishing Requirements for Contracts entered into by the Department of Health and Hospitals | Bill Passed - House (64 - 27) |
| May 20, 2010 | NJ | A 1678 | Establishing a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - House (67 - 8) |
| May 18, 2010 | OK | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| May 18, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| May 18, 2010 | OH | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| May 17, 2010 | MN | HF 1 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 14) |
| May 17, 2010 | MN | HF 1 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (97 - 32) |
| May 17, 2010 | LA | HB 300 | Authorization for the Louisiana Tax Commission to Levy and Collect Certain Fees | Bill Passed - House (63 - 27) |
| May 13, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| May 13, 2010 | LA | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| May 13, 2010 | LA | HB 1368 | Exempts Local School Districts from Various Rules and Regulations | Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) |
| May 13, 2010 | LA | HB 1474 | Choice of Health Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - House (60 - 15) |
| May 12, 2010 | SC | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 29) |
| May 12, 2010 | VT | H 485 | Property Tax and Land Use Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | SB 191 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| May 12, 2010 | CO | HB 1360 | Parole Violation Punishment Reduction | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 18) |
| May 12, 2010 | National | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |
| Date | No. | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/07 | S 8089 | Emergency Appropriation Extension | Bill Passed - Senate (32 - 26) |
| 6/04 | HJR 1253 | Resolution Recognizing Arizona Statehood and New Immigration Policy | Joint Resolution Passed - Senate (18 - 7) |
| 6/03 | AB 2479 | Penalties for Violations Committed with the Intent to Capture Images or Recordings of a Person | Bill Passed - House (56 - 16) |
| 6/03 | SB 1163 | Denials of Health Care Coverage | Amendment Adopted - Senate (23 - 12) |
| 6/03 | AB 2047 | Expanding Authorized University Admission Considerations | Amendment Adopted - House (48 - 28) |
| 6/02 | SB 1088 | Young Adults Health insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 6/02 | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 6/02 | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - House (77 - 21) |
| 6/02 | SB 399 | Authorizing Youth Offenders to Appeal Life Without Parole Sentences | Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15) |
| 6/02 | AB 1825 | Requiring Inclusion of Maternity Services in Health Coverage | Bill Passed - House (48 - 25) |
| 6/02 | AB 2470 | Individual Health Plan Requirements | Bill Passed - House (46 - 27) |
| 6/02 | SB 1399 | Expanding Medical Parole Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 6/02 | SB 1399 | Expanding Medical Parole Eligibility | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 6/01 | SB 1168 | Grand Juries for Misdemeanors in the County of Los Angeles | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 9) |
| 6/01 | AB 1602 | Health Care Coverage Amendments | Bill Passed - House (49 - 26) |
| 6/01 | AB 1600 | Requiring Insurers to Cover Mental Health Services | Bill Passed - House (50 - 27) |
| 6/01 | SB 880 | Requiring Snow Sport Helmets for Minors | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 13) |
| 6/01 | SB 900 | Health Benefits Exchange | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 12) |
| 5/28 | A 11310 | Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (45 - 14) |
| 5/28 | A 11310 | Education Law Amendments Concerning Charter Schools | Bill Passed - House (93 - 42) |
| 5/27 | S Amdt 4214 | National Guard Deployment on Southern U.S. Land Border | Motion Rejected - Senate (51 - 46) |
| 5/27 | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (68 - 23) |
| 5/27 | SB 704 | School Change Models | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 19) |
| 5/27 | SB 1255 | Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 5/27 | SB 1255 | Restrictions on Beverages Sold In Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 11) |
| 5/26 | SB 704 | School Change Models | Bill Passed - House (70 - 43) |
| 5/26 | HB 1033 | Evaluation and Assessment Programs | Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 17) |
| 5/26 | SB 38 | Criminalization of Participation in Cockfighting | Bill Passed - House (73 - 13) |
| 5/26 | Amdt 4002 | Requires Department of Education Employees Evaluation | Amendment Adopted - Senate (20 - 19) |
| 5/26 | H 4703 | Sentencing Law Amendments | Bill Passed - House (139 - 17) |
| 5/26 | HB 473 | Prohibits Inappropriate Pictures of Minors | Bill Passed - House (86 - 12) |
| 5/24 | HJR 1253 | Resolution Recognizing Arizona Statehood and New Immigration Policy | Joint Resolution Passed - House (67 - 27) |
| 5/21 | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Failed - Senate (29 - 16) |
| 5/20 | HB 1443 | Establishing Requirements for Contracts entered into by the Department of Health and Hospitals | Bill Passed - House (64 - 27) |
| 5/20 | A 1678 | Establishing a New Jersey Homebuyer Tax Credit Program | Bill Passed - House (67 - 8) |
| 5/18 | HJR 1054 | Prohibiting Federal Health Care Mandates | Veto Override Passed - House (72 - 24) |
| 5/18 | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 5/18 | SB 210 | Establishing Health and Nutrition Standards in Schools | Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 7) |
| 5/17 | HF 1 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 14) |
| 5/17 | HF 1 | 2010-2011 Budget | Bill Passed - House (97 - 32) |
| 5/17 | HB 300 | Authorization for the Louisiana Tax Commission to Levy and Collect Certain Fees | Bill Passed - House (63 - 27) |
| 5/13 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - Senate (33 - 13) |
| 5/13 | HB 554 | Prohibiting Release on Own Recognizance for Domestic Abuse Suspects | Bill Passed - House (63 - 20) |
| 5/13 | HB 1368 | Exempts Local School Districts from Various Rules and Regulations | Bill Passed - House (68 - 20) |
| 5/13 | HB 1474 | Choice of Health Insurance Coverage | Bill Passed - House (60 - 15) |
| 5/12 | H 3584 | Cigarette Tax Increase | Veto Override Passed - House (90 - 29) |
| 5/12 | H 485 | Property Tax and Land Use Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (20 - 9) |
| 5/12 | SB 191 | Education Law Amendments | Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 8) |
| 5/12 | HB 1360 | Parole Violation Punishment Reduction | Concurrence Vote Passed - House (43 - 18) |
| 5/12 | S Amdt 3955 | Establishing New Mortgage Underwriting Requirements and Eliminating a Risk Retention Requirement | Amendment Rejected - Senate (42 - 57) |